OFF THE HOOK Santa Monica Seafood Fest

Santa Monica Pier is no stranger to a good party, but every October it hosts something that actually earns its billing: a waterfront seafood tasting event with real chefs, real purveyors, and a cause worth caring about. The 7th Annual OFF THE HOOK Santa Monica Seafood Festival lands on Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., and this year it doubles as part of Santa Monica's 150th Anniversary celebration.

This is a walk-around tasting format, which means you move at your own pace, glass in hand, through stations run by local chefs and seafood vendors. There's no sit-down dinner to navigate, no set course order. You stop where something looks good, chat with the person who caught or cooked it, and move on when you're ready. Live music runs throughout the afternoon, cutting against the sound of waves below the pier.

Why This One Stands Out

OFF THE HOOK has always tied itself to Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica-based nonprofit that monitors water quality and pushes for cleaner oceans up and down the California coast. That pairing isn't just for optics. The event leans into sourcing conversations, with vendors who can actually speak to where their catch came from and how it was caught. For anyone who eats a lot of seafood in Los Angeles and thinks at all about sustainability, that's a refreshing change from a buffet with anonymous shrimp.

Seven years in, the festival has a track record. It's not a pop-up trying to find its footing. The format is tight, the location is one of the most recognizable in Southern California, and the ocean backdrop does things for a glass of white wine that no indoor venue can match.

What to Know Before You Go

This is a 21 and over event, and tickets are required. The festival runs rain or shine, so check the forecast but don't count on a cancellation if clouds roll in off the water.

Santa Monica Pier sits at the foot of Colorado Avenue. From the 10 freeway, exit at 4th Street and head west. Street parking in the area fills up fast on weekends, so the city's paid lots on 2nd and 4th streets are worth a look. The Big Blue Bus also runs along Colorado, connecting to the Metro E Line at Expo/Bundy.

Comfortable shoes matter here. The pier's wood-plank surface isn't hard on feet, but you'll be standing and walking for a solid stretch of the afternoon.

LA Food Festivals with a View

This is the kind of food event that's easier to recommend to a friend than explain in a review. The food is good, the setting is exceptional, and supporting Heal the Bay while eating well is a genuinely easy sell. As one of the better LA food festivals with an outdoor waterfront component, OFF THE HOOK fills a gap that most culinary events in the city don't.

Tickets and lineup details are on the official Eventbrite page. More background on the event's sustainability mission is at offthehookseafoodfest.com.

Browse more food and drink events in Los Angeles or explore what's happening in Santa Monica.